


This Pain I've Endured : An Original Story

by Xx_Cherry_Vanilla_xX



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, References to Depression, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, Sad, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-17 04:09:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10586139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xx_Cherry_Vanilla_xX/pseuds/Xx_Cherry_Vanilla_xX
Summary: Ia Aiko, a young girl by the age of 17, is a quiet and shy person. It's not oftenthat she opens up to people in a matter of moments. She's been hurt, broken down, andhas dealt with many things that have harmed her. Granted, everything she has been through up to this point has not been the worst possible things. But, they have made her who she is today. There are secrets that she has kept hidden, and there are certain things that she will not tell. At least, not until she met a special someone..





	1. Silence. . .

**Author's Note:**

> ~WARNING: CONTENT MAY TRIGGER SOME READERS. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO DARK THEMES SUCH AS DEPRESSION, SELF HARM, ETC. PLEASE DO NOT READ.
> 
> This will be told in the point of view where she is 17.  
> But, the events that begin to take place are when she is about 14, and will continue on from  
> there. This is a sort of shipping story, as well. She is shipped with someone from an Undertale AU (Spare me your negative comments about this),  
> and in all honesty, it will be good. No cringe here!

October 17, 20XX

Today has been a terrible day at school as usual. Nothing good ever happens when I’m here. Every single day, I come sit down in my seat, set my things down, and wait for class to start. My headphones are always still playing music to my ears, ignoring all other surrounding sounds. Everyone around me always starred, with those dead, judging eyes of theirs. I see them whispering about me, their lips forming words of disgust and hatred. Hatred…for me. “Everyone, settle down! It’s time for class to begin!” I took notice of my teacher and quickly pulled off my headphones, still hearing mumbling and muttering from my classmates. The teacher looked at me and smiled warmly, beginning her lecture. I sighed softly and lowered my hood, my short and dark hair falling into my face. I didn’t bother moving it out of my sight, not having a care at the moment. “Hey, pst!” I felt a nudge at my arm, and I glanced over to the left of me. There he was, Alex, one of the known bullies in the school. I hated him. I hated how he looked at me, how he laughed at me, how he completely ridiculed me. He is nothing more than a lowlife. He continued to nudge my arm and I looked down, seeing a note in his hand. I sighed, and took it, opening it and quickly reading over it.

-Why don’t you just speak up for once, Emo? Got your vocal cords ripped out of your throat? Aw, it’s too bad that no one will be able to hear your PATHETIC attempts to talk!

“Ia!” I bolted and looked up at my teacher looming over me. She motioned me to give her the note, and I of course, gave it to her in a panic. I was, again, having an anxiety attack, which do happen quite often for me. “Hm...Alex.” He looked up at the teacher as well. “What? I didn’t write it.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “ Yes you did, this is your handwriting.” “B-But, I didn’t write it! I swear I’m not lyi--” She put her hand up to silence him. “Now Alex, I will not tolerate anymore of your bullying towards Ia. It’s getting out of hand, not to mention you’re becoming a large distraction to this class.” He stayed silent and looked back down to his desk. I felt a slight satisfaction from this, but I said nothing. “You’ll be given a week’s worth of detention for passing notes, bullying a girl, and for being disruptive during class. Any talking back will result in further consequences.” And after a few moments of silence, she continued her lesson. I was surprised that she did not blame me for this, as I was the one who was reading the note in the first place. However, she has known me for being a quiet and calm individual, and not one to be so immature as to pass notes and all that.

After working on a few assignments during class, the bell for the ending of class rang throughout the classroom. Everyone rushed to leave the class, cramming their papers and shoving their binders into their backpacks. “And do not forget to work on tonight’s homework, class!” By the time the teacher ended their sentence, everyone except for me had left the room. The chattering of students could be heard outside of the classroom, and I sighed softly to myself. I carefully put everything away neatly into my backpack, and put it on around my shoulders, preparing to leave as well. “Ia, do you mind if I speak to you for a few minutes?” I jumped slightly at their voice, and I turned around, walking to their desk in the corner of the room. “ Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble. I just need to ask you a few questions.” I patiently awaited their questions. “ So...I’ve taken notice of your behavior in class. You are the most well behaved student I’ve had in a long time, which is remarkable and I do admire you for it, believe me. But...you barely speak. Even when called on, your answers are often mumbled. Is there a reason for that?” I solemnly looked down, nodding my head a little. “What is the reason, then? Do you mind explaining?” I looked at them, my eyes still not in sight. “I....I-I just d-don’t like t-to speak...e-everyone m-makes fun 0-of m-me for i-it…” My voice was soft, quiet, and had a stutter to it that I could never control. I was naturally born with it, and I tried to get speech therapy for it, but...It never worked out in my favor. The teacher was surprised to hear my voice, and they gave me a soft, reassuring smile. “Now Ia, I understand your struggle, but that does sound like a bit of a silly reason. Is there anything more to elaborate on?” I will admit, I hide more than what I tell when asked questions, and this was no different. “I….I-I annoyed e-everyone around m-me with m-my voice...they c-called me o-obnoxious, u-ugly, s-stupid, a-and worthless….I-I suddenly j-just stopped t-talking because I-I thought t-they’d stop i-if they never h-heard my voice again…” I saw the their expression sadden as I spoke, and they sighed. “ Oh dear, sounds like you’ve been dealing with bullying longer than I thought. Did you ever try to stop them?” I nodded again, quickly shoving my hands in the pockets of my jacket. “I see, well I do believe you. Everyone does try to stop the problem, and in some cases, it just never ends.” I looked to the side, and nodded once again. I didn’t want to speak any more than I had to. “ Well, I’ve gotten the answers I needed. You can go home now, Ia.” They stood up and I looked up at them, but it seems they could not see my eyes….my eyes that were filled with pure sadness. “If you’re ever in any sort of trouble, come to me, okay? It may not seem like it, but I care about each and every one of my students. Even the ones that annoy me the most.” I saw a smile on their face, and it warmed my cold heart. I nodded in approval, and I started walking to the door. Before I left, I turned around and looked back at them. “T-Thank y-you…” They smiled again at the sound of my voice, taking notice of the lighter tone my voice took. “Your very welcome, Ia. Go on home, I’m sure your parents will wonder where you are.” I nodded, and with that I left the classroom.

I walked through the halls of the school, seeing some students still hanging around with their friends. Some stared, some ignored, the same cycle I’ve gone through over and over again. Facing the judgement of my peers is something I’ve dealt with for years. I could say that I’ve grown numb from the pain I’ve endured, but I’m far from feeling nothing. I feel everything, every word, every glare. It pierces my heart without mercy, and I don’t know how much more I can take. 

Once I made it off of the school campus, I started walking in the direction I always took. My feet trudged against the worn concrete as I stared down at the ground, occasionally looking up at the beautiful trees and flowers. Even though it was a cloudy day, I still loved the scenery. It always made my heart feel fuzzy and happy. Seeing the flower petals fall down from the trees, the leaves shining a bright and vibrant green. Something about it, took away the sadness for a bit. But, after roughly a half an hour of walking home, the wind began to pick up, and I suddenly felt a rush of dread loom around me. I started hearing footsteps around me, and my breath hitched. In the corner of my eye, I saw three boys, but these weren’t just ordinary boys. They were my bullies, the same bullies I’ve had ever since the first day of school. My left eye twitched slightly and I started to walk faster, hoping I could get away from them. I heard a chuckle and a snicker, pretty soon I found myself running and trembling with fear. Suddenly, I got shoved to the ground and I yelped, scrambling to get back up. I saw someone quickly step in front of me and a hand grabbed the collar of my shirt, which my jacket had gave way to. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” It was him, Alex. He had the most evil expression I had ever seen in my life, his smile was wide and was void of mercy. “L-Let me g-go…!” “Oh, so you can speak? Too bad you’re gonna be shut up!” He suddenly threw a punch at me that nailed the right side of my face. I screamed in pain and he threw me down on the ground, another boy kicking me in the stomach. I cried for help, “H-Help me! P-Please, s-stop! No!” Tears were now falling down my bruised face, and I tried to get up once again, only to get punched in the arm and kicked in the stomach again. Agony was the only thing I could feel, and desperation to get someone to stop these terrible people from abusing me. “No one’s gonna help a worthless piece of trash like you, Emo! Don’t you understand? YOU’RE NOTHING.” Alex picked me up again and threw a few more punched at me, and he finally let me go. I struggled to stand up, and I once I finally got to my feet, I ran away as quickly as my legs could carry me. “Yeah you better fucking run! If I ever see you again, YOU’RE DEAD!” With that, the roar of laughter rang between the three of them, and I had never been so terrified in my entire life. 

After having been in a ruthless fight, I had almost passed out from all the running I did. My legs were practically screaming at me to stop. I was lucky enough to not have any of them know where I lived, which was somewhere secluded. In a nearby forest, we owned a house that no one had lived in for quite some time. Being in the forest gave a feeling of solitude, but it was weirdly welcoming to me. As I was going to pass out from exhaustion, I saw my house not too far away. Quickly looking behind me, I saw no one, and I sighed out of relief. I decided to walk the rest of the way there, feeling a little more secure now. Within a few minutes, I had made it. My parent’s car wasn’t seen, and I suddenly felt sad again. I would be alone with myself, with my thoughts...with no one else but me. I opened the door, and walked inside, locking the door behind me. I looked around at the dim house, the blinds leaking in a bit of light from outside in the living room. I set my backpack down on the couch, and I looked towards the kitchen. I walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge, looking at the food inside. Nothing I saw looked even remotely good to me, so I closed it, unsatisfied. I decided to go upstairs and into my room. I shut the door behind me, and I slid down the door, feeling myself trembling again. “W-Why…? W-Why do they h-hate me s-so much…?” Large tears rolled down my cheeks again, and I gently touched the sides of my tender cheeks, wincing and pulling them away. I hugged myself, burying my face in my knees and weeping softly. “I-I just w-want to b-be loved, t-to be c-cared f-for...t-to feel l-like I m-matter…” Soon my weeps turned to cries, and then to sobs. I shaked and trembled, I cried and screamed, all while I was alone. With no one to tell me it was going to be okay, with no one to hug me, with no one to help calm me down. All of my negativity was leaking out, my anxiety was taking over my brain, and my depression was growing so much to the point to where I couldn’t even control it. And after about an hour of nonstop crying and screaming, I stopped.

I stood up,

I turned to the door,

I opened it with steady hands,

I walked into the bathroom,

And I shut the door behind me,

Locking the door.

I searched the bathroom for it, hoping to god that it was in the room. And, underneath the sink, I found it. I felt a smile creep on my face as I sat down on the floor. I lifted up my sleeves, and looked at the faded scars on my arms. “T-Time to m-make new o-ones…” I said to myself with a monotone voice, starting to slice my flesh. The pain was small at first, but I didn’t have a care in the world at this point. The blood had seeped out from the newly made wounds as I cut my arms, dripping onto the floor. My arms were an absolute nightmare to look at from another person’s perspective, but to me, it was a beautiful work of art. How the cuts were now a bright red, the darkened blood trickling down my arms. I smiled even more, and I moved onto my stomach. I lay down, lifted my jacket and shirt, and I carefully began to make incisions into my abdomen. This hurt a bit more, but it didn’t stop me from making more. Inflicting pain on myself was the only way I could get rid of these wretched thoughts and vents. My stomach was horrible for me to look at, and I hated it. After a few minutes, I had felt more satisfied with myself, but there was one more place I needed to paint with blood. My thighs, my most hated part of my body. I hated them, I hated them with all my heart. I just couldn’t stand how big they were, they disgusted me. I grew impatient at this part, and I was now getting reckless with my cuts. They were jagged, frantic, and even more bloody than the others. ‘Ugly,. Fat. Stupid.” Thoughts like these ran through my mind at a constant rate, and they never stopped.

Once it was complete, I stood up with wobbly legs. I looked at myself in the mirror, seeing all of the cuts I had made, the tears stained on my face, the hand that was holding the razor. It’s funny how broken down I had become, enough to start self harm. All it took was a few measly words, and it made me completely lose my mind. “I-I’m not pretty, I-I’m ugly...I d-don’t mean a-anything, I’m n-nothing but t-trash...I-I am n-nothing more t-than a stupid g-girl...I-I….I should j-just die.”


	2. A Better Day. . .

A sudden closing of a door was heard from downstairs, and I jumped. "Ia, I'm home!" My mother had just come home, and I was an absolute wreck. I needed to look like everything was normal and okay. "Ia, are you in here?" She continued to call out for me, and I frantically pulled down my shirt and jacket, the sleeves, and pulled up my pants. The cuts stung when the fabric touched them, but I didn't care enough to let them heal and dress them up. "I-I'm u-up here, m-mommy...!" I opened the door and rushes downstairs.

"Oh there you are sweetie, I was looking for you!" She hugged me tightly and I winced, ignoring the pain on my body. "I-I was doing m-my homework, m-mommy... Don't w-worry..." I gave her a fake smile to reassure her that nothing was wrong, and she returned the smile to me. "That's my smart cookie." She planted a gentle kiss on my forehead, and she noticed that my face felt different. "Honey, have you been crying? Your face feels weird..." I quickly shook my head. "I-It's sweat, eheh.." She tilted her head in confusion, curious as to why I said that. "Oh? Why were you sweating?" I nervously looked down, then back up at her. "I-I ran h-home, that's w-why..." "Oh, well alright." She giggled and ruffled my hair. I smiled a little, she was always so loving and caring. Her smile always lifted my spirits, and the way she hugged me made all the bad thoughts that I had go away. "I got you something special on the way home that I thought you'd like!" I glanced at her with curiosity. "R-Really...?" She nodded happily, and took my hand, guiding me into the kitchen. I saw a purple bag on the counter, and my curiosity grew. "W-What is i-it..?" She gestured to the bag, giving me permission to look inside. I walked towards the bag and grabbed whatever was inside. It felt fluffy and small...

"Well, do you like it?"

I pulled it out, and my eyes immediately went wide at the sight of what I saw. It was a small plush, a skeleton cat. It was black, the bones were white, and it had a purple heart in its chest. The heart somehow made me forget all my troubles, and made me feel...Calm and at peace."M-Mommy...I-I love it..!" I smiled widely, probably the most I've ever smiled in a long time. "I-It's so c-cute and f-fluffy...!" She pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my forehead again. "I'm so glad you like it, dear. I knew that when I saw it that it would make you happy. I just couldn't pass it up." I looked up at her, my eyes hidden by my hair. But, she carefully moved my bangs out from my face, revealing my eyes. "You really don't have to keep hiding your eye, you know..? It's perfectly normal." I felt a sudden jolt of sadness, and I looked away, my hair falling back into my face. "B-But, I-I like my h-hair like t-this...And e-everyone makes f-fun of my e-eye..." "Oh sweetheart..." She hugged me tightly, rubbing my back slowly. "I'm sorry you still get bullied, I've tried to help solve the problem, but...Those kids are persistent, aren't they..?" I slowly nodded my head, sighing softly. "Well, you can go upstairs and relax, okay? I'm sure you've finished your homework well before I came home." I nodded, knowing full well that I hadn't done it yet. I would do it later that night since I needed to clear my mind. I walked back upstairs to my room with the stuff animal held close to my chest.

Later that night...

7:30 pm...

"Ia, dinner's ready!" My mom hollered at me from downstairs and I sighed, turning off my music and walking downstairs. I wasn't hungry that night, but at least I get some time with my mom. "Honey, are you okay? You seem tired." I nodded, looking towards her and smiling. "I-I'm okay, d-don't worry about m-me.."

We both sat down at the table, and while she was chowing down at her meal, I was just mostly poking around it. "Are you not hungry?" I shook my head, sighing softly. "Have you eaten today at all?" I nodded, not looking at her. "Hm, alright...Well, you can always eat later, sweetie." I smiled a little and pushed my plate aside. After a few minutes, she had finished. "D-Do you want m-me to d-do the dishes, t-tonight...?" She paused for a moment to consider it, but shook her head a little. "No, you already did them last night, I'll do them tonight. I want you to relax for the night, since you seem a little tense." I looked at her in surprise, but took up on the offer. My mother is so understanding, sometimes it still surprises me. "A-Alright...I l-love you, m-mommy.." I said as I started to walk away. "I love you too, honey." I turned back, and saw her sweet smile once again. I returned it, and made my way back upstairs to my room.

12:00 am...

I had been laying in my bed wide awake, unable to sleep at all. I looked down at all the new cuts and scars I had made and sighed, feeling them gently. They had started to scab over, but the area was still sensitive. I stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought and unable to clear my mind to sleep. 'What should I do...?' I thought to myself. 'Maybe I can just try to calm down and go to sleep...' With that, I rolled over on my side, and all of a sudden my eyes grew tired. I had no thoughts at all, my mind had now gone blank, and I had soon fallen asleep.

Now, I could go on to explain the rest of my life day by day, but...my life was always so boring, so uninteresting. So, why don't we jump ahead to two years later? Things started taking an interesting turn around there...

October 24, 20XX

"Ia, come downstairs honey!" My mom had called me once again, like every normal night. I set my pencil down ontop of my sketchbook and I walked downstairs. I had started taking a hobby of drawing about a year ago, and so far, I've gotten fairly decent at it. My mom says that they're beautiful and my proportions are pretty good...Although, hands are still a struggle for me to get a handle of. Either way, doing art has become a way of venting for myself, which works most of the time. "What i-is it, m-mommy...?" She looked so happy to see me, it was as though she hadn't seen me in months. "Have you already forgotten? It's your birthday today! And I've got a few gifts for you!" I gasped softly and I giggled a little, smiling softly. "I-I'm sorry, I-I completely f-forgot, eheh..." She patted me on the shoulder and laughed. "It's completely fine! Here, they're out here!"

With that, she let me out to the living room, where there were several presents laid out, the wrapping paper which was white and purple. I couldn't help but smile, and I didn't know what to expect to get. With my mom, it's always a surprise that never ceases to amaze me. "Oh, don't you want to set him down so you can open your presents?" I looked down, and saw I was still holding my stuffed animal he had given me two years ago. I decided to name him BoneyPaws, a cute name I thought suited him well. "O-Oh, right.." I set him down on the couch, and I sat down on the floor, looking at my mom. "W-Which one d-do I o-open first..?" She quickly handed me one of the presents with a big smile. "This one, honey." I stared at the present in my hands for a few moments, and I started unwrapping it, tearing at the paper. Once finished, I saw a purple article of clothing. I held it up and gasped, my eyes wide and starry. "I thought it was perfect for you, honey." I couldn't believe it, it was a brand new lavender sweater with a heart cut out of it in the chest. "O-Oh stars, I-I love i-it..! I-I can't w-wait to t-try it o-on..!" "You can try it on when you're done, sweetie." She flashed another smile at me, and I already knew that this day was going to be good.

About an hour later...

The gifts I got so far were so perfect, each and every one of them I loved. I got a new black skater skirt, a new sketchbook with some art supplies, a brand new set of glasses, and there was one more I had yet to open yet. "This is the last one, Ia. This one is the best one I've gotten for you." I happily opened it, and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was platinum white hair dye! "M-Mommy....d-did y-you really g-get this f-for me?!" My voice went louder than it had in a very long time. My hair had grown rather long, since I had cut it at 14 and I haven't cut it since then. It's gotten down to my mid back, and I have been taking good care of it. Luckily, this was the best kind of dye my mom had used, so I was definitely happy she got this for me. "Of course! You've been wanting to have white hair for such a long time, and since your hair has been bleached for a few months, I thought now would be the right time to dye it!" I had never been so overjoyed to have my hair done. I immediately hugged my mom as tightly as I could, and she gladly hugged me back. "Now, let's get your hair done before it gets too late."

A few hours later...

"Alright, go look in the mirror!" I was so excited I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest, and once I looked in the mirror, I was shocked. It really was white, it was as white as an angel's wings. I ran my fingers through my hair, and it felt like silk when I touched it. "I...I-I love i-it..!!" My mom ran into the bathroom to see my hair in the light, and she couldn't be happier than she was right now. "Sweetie, you're beautiful!" "Y-You did a-an amazing job, m-mommy..!" Her smile shone brightly in the light, and she gently pet my hair as she marveled at it. "It's so gorgeous, I've really outdone myself." "Y-You really d-did..." My heart was all warm and fuzzy, I don't think I've been this happy in a long time. "Oh honey, it's almost midnight. You better get to bed before it gets any later." I nodded my head, and she kissed my forehead, giving me one last hug. "Happy birthday, my little angel, I love you..." "I l-love you t-too, mommy..."

3:00 am

I haven't been able to go to sleep at all, there's too much on my mind. Everything that happened was all like a dream. A new outfit, new glasses, new art supplies, and even a dye job. I still couldn't believe it all happened in one day. I couldn't stop touching my silky soft hair, it wasn't at all how I expected it to be. I...I never thought I'd love it this much. My sweater was a bit bigger around the waist area when I tried it on, but...The heart I could never get over. It was my favorite part about it. My new glasses were just how I wanted them, the skirt fit nicely, and the new art supplies worked like a charm. Everything was perfect, and I couldn't ask for anything better. My mom was truly the most kind and caring person I've ever known in my life, and I'm grateful to have her for a mom. She's more understanding than anyone else I know...


	3. A Turn for the Worse

A month later...

It felt like things had changed ever since my 16th birthday, but I wasn't sure if it was for better or for worse. People at school hadn't changed much except for the bullies. I couldn't believe they were still picking on me, even though I was 16. Those same bullies, even Alex, seemed to have turned more aggressive towards me. They don't bother passing notes during class or talk to me. They practically fought me at every chance they had, even when I was trying to avoid them by taking different routes to my classes, they still found their way to get to me and beat me up. Almost every day I would come home with bruises and bloody scabs all over my body. And I couldn't even draw with them in my class, at least one of them would always quickly take my sketchbook and tear out the page, ripping it into shreds. Whenever I went to lunch, they'd sit down at the table I was at and just taunt me about my glasses. I wouldn't say anything because I didn't want to fuel the fire, but they just would never give up, especially Alex. He was always so persistent about making sure my life was 100% miserable at school and even outside of school. The only place I felt safe in was in my own home, since no one knew where I really lived. To be honest, I never saw them try to follow me home. It was only at the one time I mentioned, and that was it. Perhaps they were giving me a sliver of mercy..?

"What's up, Emo? Got anymore depressing things to draw in that stupid book of yours?" His voice made my nerves grind, but I said nothing as I tried to put the notebook away. I squeaked when he roughly grabbed my hand to stop me from putting it away and I avoided eye contact with him. "Nuh-uh, you're gonna show me whether you fucking like it or not, bitch." I flinched at his words and still said nothing. He recklessly took the sketchbook out of my hand and he looked at the picture. It was of a girl crying blood, saying "Make it stop". "Pff, so stupid. Your art is fucking ugly, you really should stop drawing since you have no talent at all." I trembled a little, trying to fight back tears. "Aw are you gonna cry again, crybaby? Huh? Are you?!" He started getting close to my face and I inched away, but he roughly grabbed my head and forced me to look at him. "Look at you, you're like a feral animal, always scared of every goddamn thing there is." I wanted to yell at him so much, I wanted to scream at him to leave me, I wanted him to go away. But, I held it all back. If I blew up, it would only make things worse. "What, you got something to say? Fucking say it! Say it, you coward!" He got even closer to me, and I could feel his hot angry breath on my face. I didn't want to anger him, I wanted him to leave... "If you don't say it, I will beat you senseless until you fucking say whatever shit you're hiding!" 

My left eye suddenly began to flash angrily, and it could be seen through my white hair. It was a bright red, as though it were a demon's eye. "SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!" I yelled at him in the loudest voice I had, and I pushed him away from me. I snatched my sketchbook away from him and I quickly put on my backpack, running away. "YOU MOTHERFUCKER COME BACK HERE!!" I suddenly heard footsteps behind me and I ran even faster than before, I just needed to get away from him. It was fortunate enough for it to be just after school, and I was planning on staying at school for a little bit. But, it looked like that plan was ruined. I had never yelled at someone like that before, and I absolutely hated it. I didn't even know where I was running to, but the footsteps never slowed down or went quiet. They were starting to come closer, and I ended up taking a route I had never taken before. I wanted to hide, I wanted to find a place to escape, but I could never stop at any point. They never gave up, and I desperately needed to rest. "STOP FUCKING RUNNING AWAY YOU BITCH, YOU'RE GONNA REGRET EVER BEING ALIVE ONCE I CATCH UP TO YOU!!" The anger in Alex's voice scared me to death, and I didn't dare stop. I had more stamina than I originally thought, and I was running for longer than I expected my legs to carry me. 

After what seemed like hours of running from the ruthless bully, I found myself running uphill. I looked up from the ground, and saw I was going up a mountain. I didn't bother to glance back behind me, knowing full well that Alex was still chasing after me. I started frantically climbing up the mountain as it got steeper. I felt my body screaming for me to stop and rest, but I just couldn't bear to stop myself. I needed to get away. "HOW IN THE FUCK ARE YOU STILL RUNNING AWAY?!" He yelled at me as I was reaching the top of the mountain and into a secluded area. I was still running as I made it into the dim place, but saw a giant hole in the ground. I found myself cornered in front of the hole, and I turned around, only to see Alex. He was so enraged, so full of hatred and disgust for me. "Fucking finally...Oh, seems like you've got nowhere to go! Look at what you've done, you idiot!" He let out a laugh as he inched closer to me. I backed up, feeling the presence of the hole draw near. "P-Please... I-I'm sorry...!" "Oh, you're sorry! You're so sorry! Oh please, spare me!" He mocked me, and all I could do was stand there and cry, hoping to god he would give me mercy. "A fucking apology doesn't cut it, you stupid bitch! Why don't you go back into hell, WHERE YOU BELONG YOU PIECE OF SHIT?!" And with that, he shoved me.

I screamed,

I cried,

I yelled,

I fell,

Deep,

Deeper,

And deeper into the hole,

Until I felt my body finally slam against the ground.

. . . 

. . . 

. . .

But,

The ground was softer than I thought it would be...

 

I opened my eyes, and I looked around. I saw bright yellow flowers around me, but I couldn't get up. My body was so sore, I could barely even move. My face that was stained with tears now had new ones, and I couldn't help but to cry and cry. I hoped that someone would hear me, that someone would help me.

But nobody came.

It felt like I had been in the same spot for hours and hours and hours, until I finally felt my energy come back to me. I was at last able to stand up. "H-Hello...?" Hearing my voice crack in its soft tone was unfamiliar to me at the moment, but I soon grew used to it. When my eyes adjusted to the lighting of the room, I noticed that the walls were purple, and Vines surrounded the place. 'Where am I...?', I thought to myself. I soon started walking around, but I saw no traces of anyone around. I had no idea of where I was, nor how to get back. I looked back at the hole in the ceiling and sighed, knowing that I couldn't just climb back up. The fall was too high up, and I would just fall again since my stamina was still a little too low. 

Wandering around this place was calming to me, I heard the soft trickling of water, and the sound of my footsteps echoed as I walked. "I-I hope I-I find someone h-here soon, I-I don't wanna b-be alone for m-much longer in a-a place like t-this..." Once I said that, I faintly heard a voice not too far ahead of me. "My child, please come back with me. It's getting late--" It sounded as though the voice was cut short. "...Stay here." I then heard footsteps coming towards my way, and my breath hitched. And what I saw both confused me and terrified me. A large goat..monster....? "I-I..." I had no words. "Oh dear, another human?" I trembled in fear and I stepped away from them. I didn't trust them, and I couldn't trust anyone anymore... I found the urge to run past them and through this place. "My child, wait!" Her calls only scared me now, and I ran at a faster pace. I couldn't run for long, but I tried to walk as quickly as I could. What was that, that thing? Whatever it was, it wasn't human and it honestly scared me to death. I'm always scared of things I'm unaware of, and this was no different. I couldn't comprehend something like that existing, as cruel as it may sound. I had just, I had no knowledge of what it was. And either way, I needed to find a place to go to, since there was no turning back.

After a few hours of endless searching, I found myself in front of two large doors. I looked behind me, and saw no one. I sighed out of relief, and I gently pushed the doors open, which had opened easier than I expected. When I looked outside, it was snowing. The ground was covered with a blanket of snow, and the trees had no leaves on them, but some were pine trees and still had their leaves on them. Once I stepped outside, the doors shut behind me. I felt the temperature drop, and I immediately tried to open the doors to let me back inside, but to no avail. It seems the doors had locked themselves from the inside. I shivered as I saw my icy cold breath, and I hugged myself for warmth. Although I was wearing my sweater, it gave way to exposed skin, not to mention I was wearing a skirt as well. I sighed to myself and I started walking again, feeling my legs ache. The cold wind that blew against me bit at my skin as I trudged through the snow, my body shuddering and shivering. I looked ahead of me, my eyes squinting, and I saw a forest ahead of me. The wind grew more rough and blew harder, and I felt myself start to become weak. Soon, after a few minutes, my legs gave out and I fell into the snow. I looked up and I saw a tall pine tree standing before me, bracing the terrible weather. I pulled myself across the ground and to the tree with the last bit of energy I had in me. I had no more feeling in my skin and I went numb, unable to feel anything. My body shivered so much my teeth chattered, and the tears I cried had become frozen to my cheeks. "S-Someone...h-help..." I weakly called out, and...

. . .

Wait. . . 

There was a shadow in the distance. . . 

Who was it. . . 

I couldn't see, the snow was too thick now. . .

I couldn't do anything anymore, I was freezing to death. . .

"Miss, are you okay?!"

A voice called out to me, and I looked up, seeing the figure approach me. I had lost the will to speak and all I could do was cry and weep...

"Oh god, you're gonna die if you stay out here...Here, I'm gonna take you someplace warm, okay?"

I suddenly felt like I was being lifted up, and I was pressed against a warm body. I looked at who was now carrying me, but...I didn't feel scared this time. Maybe it was because of how cold I was, or because I was about to freeze to death. 

" Don't worry, you're gonna be okay..."


	4. Where am I. . . ?

I had never been so confused in my life before, I couldn't see or feel anything at all. I must've blacked out, all I could remember was everything being white and being extremely cold.

"Hey, c'mere for a minute!"

That voice...What was it..? Who was speaking..? It was too faint for me to completely understand it.

"No I found her in the snow, she was freezing to death. Ya gotta let her stay here for a bit!"

"Mmnh..." I felt myself slowly waking up, and the voice grew more and more clear by the second. My eyes fluttered open, and I noticed I was off of the ground. I felt a pair of arms wrapped around me, holding me up, and when I looked to see who was holding me, I was so confused and scared.

"Alright thanks-- oh, you're awake."

I found myself paralyzed with fear and I couldn't speak, all I could do was shake and tremble.

"H-Hey, don't be scared I'm not going to hurt you. I promise... I'm gonna set you down here, and don't move."

Their voice sounded calming, but I was still apprehensive of this whole situation. I hugged myself tightly for warmth as they set me down in a booth in the corner of the room.

"Can you let her stay here until she warms up a bit? I'll ask her questions and stuff when she's more comfortable."

"..."

I looked over and saw another monster talking to the one who brought me here. He looked like he was made of fire, which did confuse me. Wouldn't he be burning everything he touched..? I looked around the place, and I noticed that it was...a diner? But, there was no one else in here. I saw him nod and I heard a sigh of relief, then the monster walked towards here. "She looks so frightened, does she not know..?" "Let me talk to her, okay? I got this..." He walked closer to me and I only now took notice that he was a skeleton....A walking, talking, breathing skeleton? Was I in a sort of dream or something? "Still shivering, I see...Here, you can wear this for a bit" He took off the jacket he had on, which I noticed was much shorter than a normal jacket. It only went up to the bottom of his ribcage, and I...I couldn't look away. He draped it around my shoulders and smiled."There, that should keep you warm for a bit.." I felt my cheeks grow warm and I looked up at them. "Alright, first things first..." They kneeled down to my level and looked at me. I noticed that they had cracks in their skull, which did intrigue me, and from the looks of them, they looked more masculine than I thought...So I assumed that they were a guy and not a girl. That and their voice kinda gave it away, too.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw a hand extended to me, in which had a large circular hole in the palm. I looked at him, and he had a warm smile on his face. "My name is G, it's nice to meet you." He must have been gesturing me for a hand shake, and of course I was hesitant to shake his hand. I waited a few moments, then I slowly took his hand and shook it gently. "What's your name, dear?" I glanced down and spoke to the best of my ability. All of the crying and screaming I had done for the past couple hours made me almost lose my voice. ". . . I-Ia. . ." "Ia? ...I like it." He smiled at me again, but I couldn't smile in return. I just couldn't find the motivation to put on a joyful expression. "So, you're a human?" I slowly nodded my head, not looking at him and just starring down at the floor. "Hm...so you don't have magic?" I shook my head, knowing full well it was a lie. I had some sort of magic that wasn't mind, something I couldn't control. I felt it would make matters worse if I told him that I did have some magic. "Alright...I noticed something about your appearance. Your face has bruises and cuts all over it..." He inched a little closer to me and dragged his hand lightly across my cheek, which caused me to flinch away. "Oh, s-sorry, I just wanted a better look." I said nothing in response. "Why are you hurt so badly? Did something happen to you?" Again, I kept my mouth shut. I glanced to the side and nervously fidgeted with my hands, not wanting to think about what happened. First getting chased, then getting pushed into a hole, falling to the ground and almost freezing to death were all things I didn't want to think about nor remember. "Did you get into a fight?" I started to panic slightly with all of these questions, why was he asking me all these things? Why did he want to know so much about me? Why...? "Hey, are you listening to me?" I flinched again and scooted away from him, not wanting him to ask me anything else. "You're not helping her by asking her all these questions at once." "Look I just wanna know what's up with her, okay? She's a human and I need to know!" "But bombarding her with questions after she almost died isn't the best way to go..." "Shut up, Grillby!" 

I noticed him starting to get angry, and I tried to move away a little more. I saw his eye flashing angrily, just like how mine did... "Well if you don't wanna listen to me you can just leave." I heard the fire monster speaking in a stern tone, and it frightened me again. Seeing these two arguing didn't make me feel good at all, and watching them yell at each other made me want to just run away again. "Maybe I--" He stopped mid sentence, and I felt his gaze on me. I didn't even notice I was trembling again, nor that I was on the brink of tears once more for what seemed like the hundredth time now. "Hey, don't cry please, you're not doing anything wrong..." His voice changed so dramatically from loud and enraged to calm and caring, it took me by surprise. He moved a little closer to me and I immediately avoided eye contact. "...Can you look at me, please?" I shook my head defiantly, looking at him was not something I wanted to do. I hated any kind of eye contact with a passion. "Please...? Just for a moment..?" I could have sworn that his voice was getting softer and softer by the second, and I didn't know what to do. "I...I'm sorry I kept asking questions, I should have at least waited until you were in a better condition." I finally looked at him, and he had the most kind expression I had seen anyone have. Only my mother gave me those kinds of expressions, I wasn't expecting to see one from a stranger like him. He had so much life in his eyes, or, lack of eyes I should say, while mine were as dull as a cloudy day in the winter. No one had ever looked at me like that, and I wasn't sure of what to think of it. "Maybe I can ask later, yeah?" My reaction was a little delayed but I nodded slowly in response. "G, can you come here?" He sighed and walked over to the fire monster, or Grillby, I guess his name was. I heard them mumbling a few things that I couldn't quite make out, and I sit back on the couch, feeling like I could finally relax. 

I heard footsteps coming towards me, and I glanced up to see that it was G again. "So, me and Grillby have decided that...well, okay he decided it for me. You can't stay here, but...you can stay with me for a little while." I definitely wasn't expecting him to say that, and I quickly felt guilty. He doesn't need to take me in, he doesn't need me to stay with him, I don't deserve this much kindness. "What's wrong?" ". . . N-Nothing. . . I'm a-a burden t-to everyone a-around m-me. . ." "Huh? No you're not, why do you say that?" I felt a sudden burst of sadness go through me, and I stood up shakily, my legs wobbling a little bit from the soreness. "Y-You don't h-have to t-take me w-with you, I-I'm fine. . ." The tone in my voice was devoid of hope, everything I said was stated with such sorrow. "T-Thank you f-for your k-kindness, but I-I have t-to go. . ." Just as I was starting to walk out of the door, I felt a hand suddenly grab my arm. "Hey, don't go please. You need to stay with someone..." "B-But. . . I. . . I-I'm worthless. . . " I felt his grip tighten a little, and two large tears streamed down my cheeks as I spoke. "I-I'm just a-a piece o-of trash t-that's been t-thrown away. . ." "HEY." His tone changed again to stern, but I still felt a sense of kindness in it. "Whoever told you those things are a bunch of filthy liars. You're not worthless at all, and you're not a piece of trash." I slowly looked at him, I must have looked like an absolute wreck with all the crying I've been doing. "Don't say those things about yourself like that. They're not true, you don't need to believe those lies anymore. Especially since you're gonna be with me." When I looked at him, I saw a light yellow color dusted on his cheeks...was it blush? Was he blushing? Can skeletons even blush? I should stop questioning these things at this point... "I'm gonna make sure that no one else hurts you or bullies you anymore, okay? A sweet and innocent girl like you doesn't deserve whatever you've been through." Why was he saying such nice things about me? Was he trying to comfort me? What was he doing? Why was he doing this? No one had ever done this before, I was so shocked and confused. How do I react, what do I say, what do I do? "Now, I'm not the once to force others into something they don't want a part of...but, I can take care of you if you stay with me." Do I go with him? Do I leave? I was scared to leave out all by myself, but I wasn't sure of if I should go with him. I felt another hand on my shoulder, and I saw that it was Grillby. And he was...smiling at me. Why were they being so nice to me...?"If it makes you feel any better, being with him will benefit your well being. If you stay with anyone, it should be him." I turned my gaze to G, and I thought about it for a minute. Maybe being with him would be better for me, maybe he really would help me feel better, help me feel more secure...Maybe even make me feel happy. ". . . O-Okay. . . I-I'll stay w-with y-you." I smiled slightly, which was something I hadn't done in a while. It felt a little unfamiliar, it felt...genuine. It wasn't fake, it was beyond real. "Wait, really?" I nodded my head, my smile getting a bit wider. "Y-Yes..." He seemed more than overjoyed to hear my response and he smiled happily. I don't think I have ever seen someone so happy in my presence, it wasn't something I was used to. "Don't worry, you'll be taken care of at his place. And the other monsters here are kind to humans as long as you're kind to them...but I don't see that being an issue with you." Grillby flashed a smile at me, and I couldn't help but to smile back. "Well, shall we go?" I looked over at G, who still had a hold of my arm, and I looked down. "U-Um..." "Oh, sorry sorry, I forgot." He laughed in a nervous tone and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I...T-Thank you..." "Hm?" "F-For helping m-me..." I saw him blush again, and he looked to the side. "It's no problem, heh."


	5. Such Kindness. . .

I'll see ya around Grillby." I saw him wave a friendly goodbye as we left the warm diner and walked into the cold outside. The snow seemed to have calmed down a bit since I was last out here, and it made this place feel so serene. Being surrounded by monsters was definitely nothing like I ever imagined. They're so much nicer than anyone I've met in the surface. I felt an arm go around my shoulder and I looked over at G, slightly surprised at his actions. "You'll probably fall without someone helping you out, doll." I blushed slightly at the name. Since I've only ever been given rude and horrible nicknames, I wasn't at all accustomed to it. Yet, it made me feel strangely happy to not be called "freak" or "emo". "You alright there? You're turning a little red...you still cold?" I was a little too in my head at the moment, I guess I forgot he was trying to talk to me. "O-Oh, yeah...I-Is your h-house far...?" He shook his head and I let out a sigh of relief. "It's over there." He pointed in the direction to his house, but sadly, I couldn't see well. My glasses were an absolute wreck, begin covered in debris and scratches. "I-I can't see, g-give me a-a second..." I took off my glasses and attempted to clean them off with my sweater, but the fabric wasn't the best material to clean glasses with. It only left the lenses with smudges and smears all over them. "Want me to clean them for ya?" 

As he asked his question, I looked at him and saw a light yellow blush on his cheeks. It confused me a bit, since I don't think I did anything to make him blush like that. Then it hit me...I quickly looked away and put my glasses back on. Although the glasses weren't all the way clear, I didn't want him staring at me anymore. It made me feel...weird. "T-They're fine n-now, don't w-worry..." I felt his gaze on me for a few seconds and he shrugged, helping me walk to his house. I felt like a person who was crippled, someone who would suddenly collapse to the floor in mere seconds without support. I didn't exactly want him helping me, for it made me feel bad. Everything that he was doing, he didn't need to do it. So, why me...? "Here we are." I looked up at the house, and the sight of it overjoyed me. I had never seen so much color at a house before, it was beautiful. Not to mention that the rest of the town was colorful, as well. Something about being here made me feel so much happiness and joy. "I-It's a-amazing..!" I couldn't help but smile, and I heard him chuckle. "Thanks sweetheart. Let's get you inside, before you freeze again..." I nodded a little and he opened the door, letting me in first. I looked around at the place, it looked interesting to say the least. It felt so welcoming and the warmth I felt made me sigh. 

It did take my by surprise that I had been surrounded by monsters who were actually nice to a human like me. They didn't seem so...Ruthless and angry towards me. They seemed kind and caring and sweet, granted I'm sure there are a few monsters who are skeptical of me, but still. That's something I expect. 

I looked around at the place, and it looked so...Big. He did say that he used to live with someone else, that's probably the reason why...But it looks like a very nice house to live in. It was a two story, and the walls were decorated with many pictures and lights. It looked astonishing and I couldn't stop looking at everything. "It's not really much, but..." His voice had a slightly sad tone to it, but when I looked at him he had a small smile on his face. I suppose he could tell I had already taken a liking to this place. "Feel free to look around a bit if you'd like." I nodded and walked around the living room, looking at all the pictures he had up on the walls. Some of them were frames with art in them, which caught my eye. I loved looking at all kinds of art, and well, although this one was simply a bone, I couldn't help but love it. It was simplistic, but it fit in with the rest of the house. As I walked around, I noticed that the wallpaper was grey, but the lights placed at the ceiling was rainbow colored. I looked back at G with a questioning look. "It helps lighten the place up, ya know? That and, it would be a bit boring to just have regular lights, don't ya think?" He sounded nervous when he spoke, but I shrugged it off, smiling softly. "It's v-very nice, I-I like i-it..." He looked at me and sighed softly. "Well, I'm glad you do..Oh, come with me, I need to show you your room." "M-My room...?" He glanced at me when he started walking upstairs. "Yeah, if you're gonna be staying with me you'll need a place to sleep and all that. I COULD let you sleep on the couch, but...Being on the couch for several days straight isn't as pleasant as you'd think. Trust me." He chuckled a bit with his last sentence and I hummed softly, adjusting my glasses as he took me to my room.

When he let me inside the room, I looked around and immediately noticed that it looked like someone had already taken this room. "I-I thought you s-said you d-didn't live with a-anyone..." He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "I did." "B-But it looks l-like someone i-is living here already..." I walked around the room, but once I started looking around, I heard footsteps. I turned around, and saw that he was leaving. "Um...You should get some rest. It's kinda late and you need it." Just as I was about to say something, he walked out and closed the door. He seemed put off by what I said, and I felt a little guilty. Maybe I shouldn't have questioned him..? It felt strange being here, like there was something I wasn't being told...Granted, I try not to let my curiosity get to the best of me, but if I'm going to be staying here, I have to explore a bit.

I sat down on the bed, which was actually rather comfortable. I fell back and looked up at the ceiling, sighing softly and turning to my left side. When I turned over, I saw a picture that looked peculiar. I quickly sat up and walked over to it, getting a better look at it. It had three monsters in it, one who looked like G but... Without cracks in his skull. The other two were a complete mystery to me. I could only assume that one of them was the father..Maybe that makes the other one G's brother? I didn't want to assume anything that was too ridiculous, but...Why didn't I see them when he took me here? Where are they..?Maybe something happened to them...No no no, stop speculating! I can't let myself make such insensitive assumptions. To avert my attention from the picture, I looked around the room a bit more. I noticed that the room was actually neatly clean, which made me feel better about sleeping here. I yawned a little and sighed, staring at the floor for a few moments. Should I sleep..? I didn't have any clothes for me to sleep in, since I lost my backpack somewhere on the way down here. I suppose I could just, take this sweater off. I'm not wearing anything on underneath other than my bra, but it'll work. As long as no one walks in on me, I'll be fine.

I started taking off the sweater, but quickly felt uneasy as I completely took it off, setting it down on the bed. My cuts...they were still very red and visible. They had only partly scabbed over, which made me feel slightly better about them. At least I wouldn't be getting blood all over this bed I'm sleeping in. I gently ran my fingers over the slits on my arm, and winced. The area was still fairly tender, so I moved my hand then ran it over my stomach and thighs. He would never be able to see them, would he...? My skirt shouldn't be too short, and my sweater covers my arms and stomach, of course. I'll just have to be cautious around him while these are still fresh. I decided to just relax and calm down, 

I sat down on the bed and consciously covered my stomach, looking at the floor. I looked to the side, and saw a gray scarf, which sparked my curiosity. Moving my hand towards it, I grabbed it and examined it closely. It left off a small aroma that relaxed me...I couldn't put my finger on what it was though. It felt soft in my hands, it was probably hand made from the looks of it. "S-Such a nice s-scarf...Mm...I s-should get some s-sleep, actually.." I sighed softly and set the scarf back where it was and stood up again, turning off the light in the room and walking back to the bed. I got into bed and stayed on my side, staring at the wall. I actually felt somewhat tired...Most likely because of everything that happened. It all occurred in one day, which still confounded me. And...I felt alone again...Even though G wasn't far from this room, I felt an uneasy sense of solitude. I was used to it, but this time it felt different..."It's a-alright, just s-sleep...I-I don't need a-anyone with m-me right n-now..." I felt like I should just be used to being alone in a room by myself, but it just felt so unnatural. Perhaps it's because I'm not home. I'm not in my house...Not up on the surface...I bet no one even cares that I'm gone right now. No one except...My mom. She's the only one who cared or even acknowledged my existence...And now, I've got one other person who somewhat cares, too...


	6. Things are Better Now . . .

Ever since I fell down here in the Underground, things have been anything but boring. Even though I've only lived here for a few days, it's been so much fun. I got BoneyPaws back a day after I lived here, G ended up finding him in the snow and asked if it was mine. BoneyPaws was like my little companion, a little adorable buddy that my mom gave to me to remember her. I sleep with him every night to help keep my anxiety low, and it does truly help me. He helps me forget the loneliness and solitude. However, I think G has taken notice how attached I am to my plush, because anytime he sees me holding BoneyPaws he pokes fun at me.

"So, how's that little kitty of yours, doll?", "H-He's fine...", "You really like him, huh?" I nodded my head." H-He's the only thing I-I have now t-to remember m-my mom..."

I told him that one thing one day, and I saw his expression turn sorrowful. "Oh, I'm sorry...", "D-Don't worry about i-it, it's okay..." He turned away from me and looked at the ground, rubbing his right arm a bit. "S-She was t-the only person who c-cared about m-me, everyone e-else hated me...", "Aw c'mon, I'm sure there were other humans who cared about you." I solemnly shook my head and looked down, my hands fidgeting. "...Well, you're here now. You've got someone who cares about ya." I looked over and saw that G was smiling at me.

I realized that at that moment, he was talking about himself. It made me blush and hide my face, and he just chuckled. That day, I also realized that...I started to develop feelings for him. Feelings...for the kindest person, well, monster, I had ever met. I had never met someone so sweet and caring, it still surprises me. Anytime I want to go outside, he often goes with me, always telling me that I'd need the company. It warms my heart every time I hear those words, it's as though he can read my mind. Well...I suppose it's because the entire time I've lived with him, I've been seen as an extremely fragile person. That is the honest truth, too. I'm always nervous and anxious, almost always shivering or shaking, and I speak in a soft tone. That's most likely the reason why he is...overprotective of me. Anytime we pass by a few monsters who don't appear to be that kind, G immediately drags me away from them. It's something I'm not used to yet, so it still takes me by surprise.

There are a few ups and downs to living with someone like him. For one thing, he's a skeleton. A living skeleton that can do anything a human can. I've secretly had a love for skeletons almost all my life, they're just so...intriguing. Their anatomy never ceases to astound me, how all the bones look so delicate and intricate, and they just give off this mysterious and eerie vibe that I can never enough of. That aside, his personality is nothing like anything I've ever encountered. He is very much a gentleman, but he has this smooth and suave way of talking, it makes me flustered. Not to mention he throws a few flirtatious comments here and there to catch me off guard and make me blush the brightest shade of red.I'm sure he does this to every girl he meets and not just me, there's nothing special about me. The only thing I don't really like about living with him is the fact he smokes, which shouldn't be remotely possible for a skeleton to do, but I've kinda learned not to question things about monsters. Although, I don't think he smokes regular cigarettes, they always give off a sweet smell whenever he smokes them, but I can't put my finger on what it is.

"I-I'm gonna g-go out...C-Can I please g-go by myself...?" He looked over at me and sighed. "Alright, just be careful. Not every monster out there is nice to humans." I nodded and put on my sweater, walking to the door. "I-I promise I-I'll be c-careful..." I looked back at him with a small smile on my face, and I saw him return the smile with a light blush on his cheeks. I wouldn't be out for too long, I just wanted some time to myself after all.

As I walked out the door and into the snow, I noticed that it wasn't snowing today. The white blanket that covered the ground wasn't as thick as usual, which was good for me considering I'd be walking for a bit. It was still cold, but I was able to bear with it. My feet trudged through the snow and my body shivered a little, although I always ran cold rather than hot. I decided that I walked to Waterfall, my favorite place to go for some peace and quiet. Seeing all the sparkling crystals that looked like stars made my mind wander, and the fluorescent water casted a bright turquoise glow off of every plant and rock. I'd even see these beautiful blue flowers that seemed to repeat words that someone last said to them...Echo Flowers, that's what G told me. Everything about the place is just calming and serene. Anytime I go to Waterfall, it soothes my nerves.

 

Once I walked through the town and into the cave, I could have sworn I kept hearing strange noises. Granted, the Echo Flowers often spoke words but, they were quiet and peaceful. These noises I kept hearing sounded unwelcoming and unfriendly, and made my hair stand on end. I shuddered and just tried not to think about it, looking down at the ground. “Hey hey hey, lil’ girlie…” I jumped at the sudden unfamiliar voice and quickly turned around. It was a monster...No...There were three monsters! One of them was shorter than the rest but had these large horns protruding from its head, three sets of arms with sharp claws on their hands, and two sets of legs with large clawed feet. The second was the tallest out of the three and stood way taller than any human I'd ever seen. They had large, scaly wings that had a wingspan larger than anything I'd seen on such a creature, you would almost call them majestic if it weren't for the large spikes all over their back and their tail. The third monster was the most frightening of all of them, and you may have noticed that I didn't mention their eyes. Well, the first two had three eyes, but this one just had one large eye giving me the scariest glare I'd ever been given. Needless to say, they did not give off any good feelings at all.

“What's a human like yourself doing down here, hm?” I couldn't find any words to say, I was too scared to even say anything. I heard one of the monsters chuckle darkly. “Aw, what's wrong? Can't talk, huh? What, ya scared of us or somethin’?” They spoke in a taunting tone and it caused a shiver to go down my spine. I let out a soft whimper, and spoke, “W-Who are y-you..?” The overtowering monster let out a loud cackle. “Oh we were just mere monsters in search for some revenge! You know, YOU'RE the reason we're all stuck down here in the first place!” I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I had done nothing to these monsters at all! “W-What..?” “Oh don't play dumb, stupid girl! Do you not even remember the war that broke out between the humans and monsters?!”, I slowly shook my head, unaware of this information about a war. What were they talking about..? “Well then, we'll have to TELL YOU!” The minute the short monster finished their sentence, one of them lunged at me and pinned me down to the ground and I screamed, trying to wriggle free. But a hand quickly silenced me and I immediately felt helpless.

“Scream again and we'll kill you, GOT IT?” The suddenly angry and evil tone in the third monster’s voice scared me to death, and it made me not utter another word. “So, since you've been never told this, we used to live on the surface with humans peacefully. Sure, the humans didn't always like us, but other than that it was an alright life to live. That is, until one of our kind was attacked by a village. See, the monster was mourning for a human who was near death, but...The humans took that as ‘the monster killed the human’ kind of thing.” As they told me this story, I was in a state of shock, how could humans be this cruel? Why would they be this angry at monsterkind? “And well, like I said, they attacked. And oh boy, was out King PISSED THE FUCK OFF! You know what our King did in response to this attack?” I slowly shook my head again. “He engaged an all out war on the humans! But what we didn't know, was that the humans would soon trap us down here by a magical barrier that would never be broken. Unless...Unless we had seven human souls.”, Suddenly, the three of them started to speak in unison. “If the King had seven human souls, he could become an ungodly creature with such strong power and break the barrier to set us free!” I trembled in fear, all this information was nothing like I ever heard. When I first said that I didn't know anything of this, my first thought was...Why hadn't anyone told me this? This seemed like such important information that you'd think I'd at least be told by my mother. “The King now has six souls as of right now, we're monsters who are just so hungry for freedom…” The monster with the large eye stared me down, and a large grin appeared on the tall one's face, their grip on me tightening by every second. 

“WE WANT YOUR SOUL, HUMAN!” I shrieked in absolute horror, my mouth still covered by the clawed hand. They started attacking at me, tearing my clothes apart, and I suddenly felt a strange sensation in my chest. I looked down and saw that a purple heart was glowing inside my chest, and it confused me to a great extent. Was this my soul? Was this what they wanted? I tried so hard to break free from these horrible monsters, but it was no use. “S-Someone help!! P-Please!!!” “HA! NO ONE'S GONNA HELP YA NO--” Their words were cut off suddenly, and I saw that a large yellow beam had blasted them and thrashed them against the wall. I looked over and saw that they were knocked out unconscious, and all I could do was shake and cry. “Ia, Ia are you okay?!” I suddenly saw someone kneel down and examine me with much worry. “G…?” He nodded frantically and picked me up in his arms, hugging me tightly. “Thank god I found you...I thought I was going to make it…” I cried into his shoulder and hugged him just as tightly, my hands digging into him hard. “I-I'm so sorry I-I didn't know t-this would h-happen I-I'm sorry..!!” I repeatedly said” I'm sorry”, over and over again, and I felt his hands run up and down my back slowly, hushing me gently. “, It's okay, it's okay, you're fine now, don't apologize…I didn't even know you were in trouble until a few minutes ago.” “B-But, how…?”

He pulled away from me a little, and I saw a yellow glow in his ribcage. “I felt it in my soul, the minute I felt something wrong was going on, I came here as soon as I could.”, He resumed hugging me, and I was just so scared of everything at the moment. “Oh god, they ripped your clothes too... We'll get those fixed up. But, for now, let's get you back home.” He lifted me up and started carrying me while I was still clinging to him. “I...n-no one told m-me about t-the war…”, He glanced at me in surprise. “What? So those monsters told you… How did nobody tell you before?” I shrugged and hid my face in his chest, tears still falling down my stained face. “I d-don’t know… I-I guess no o-one thought i-it was important enough t-to tell m-me..” I heard him sigh and hold me close, walking back to the house. “Well, now you know. I'm sorry no one informed you sooner. I thought you would have at least known a little bit about it. But, nevermind that for now, we need to get you inside and clean you up.” And with that, he took me inside and set me down on the couch. “Oh, I forgot to mention, someone else is here today, but I think you'll like them.” I tilted my head slightly, and when I looked over at the hallway, I saw another human walking towards me.

They had long red hair that reached down to their back, bright green eyes that shimmered in the light, and freckles all over their face. They were wearing a black oversized shirt with a cat on it, a pair of blue shorts, black sneakers and white socks. They had a bandaid on the bridge of their nose, and a small bruise on their knee. “G, is that the girl you rescued?” Their voice was low but with a kind undertone to it. “Yeah.”, I saw the human smile widely and they walked to me. “I'm Scarlett!” She held out a hand with such joy in her expression, I couldn't help but smile and shake her hand. “I-It's nice to m-meet y-you, Scarlett…” She poked my noise and giggled. “Your voice is cute!” I blushed slightly at the comment and rubbed my right arm, looking away and laughing nervously. “O-Oh stars…”, “And you're really pretty! Like, REALLY pretty!” I glanced at her and blushed a brighter shade of red, unsure of what to say. 

“I-I uh…” “How old are you? I'm 12!” This girl was 12?, She looks younger than 12, more like 9 or 10.” “O-Oh, I'm 17… y-you look a l-little younger t-than 12…” I saw her pout and she crossed her arms. “Everyone says that when they first meet me! Why do they say that?!” G stepped in and looked down at her with a smile on his face. “Because you really don't look your age.” “WHAT?!” She spoke with such passion in her voice, it made me think of myself when I was younger, so full of joy and happiness. “It's true, sorry kid.” “Would you stop calling me kid? I'm 12! I'm almost a teenager, for crying out loud!” He chuckled and ruffled the child's hair, looking at me. “She was the first human to come down here for a while before you fell down here. That's why none of the monsters really minded your presence, since there was already another human down here.” I nodded my head slightly, then looked back at Scarlett. “She comes here to visit sometimes, so you'll see her at times if you're not out and about.” I giggled softly and adjusted my glasses.

“Ia! Why are you wearing your hair like that? Are you afraid to show both eyes or do you just like hiding behind your hair?” Her voice had a bubbly tone to it, but I felt myself flinch when she asked me that question. “I...I-I just like t-the look…” I blatantly lied in front of her, but since she was just a kid, she'd believe me. “... Okay! I like my hair like this, too!” She smiled brightly and played around with her hair. If I was going to be seeing Scarlett a lot, that means...Another person who cares about me...Oh stars, the more I stay down here, the more I find more interesting things happening to me. Well, except for that monster attack incident. I sighed softly at the thought, but was quickly snapped out of it when I saw G leaning in towards me. “E-Eh..?!” I blushed profoundly but he never took his gaze off of me.

“... You're thinking about the attack, huh?” I nodded, silently hoping he'd move away at least a little bit so he wouldn't see anymore of my blushing face. “Well, just try to take your mind off of it, okay? You've got other things to think about...Like me.~” He winked at me and I quickly hid my face, feeling more flustered than ever. I heard him chuckle and felt him move away from me. “I'm just playing around, don't worry.” I uncovered my face and looked up at him. “Oooooh Ia's blushing!!” “I-I am n-not..!” I don't know much more of this embarrassment I can take, but I knew that this life would be turning around for the better already.


End file.
